In the Shadow of the Bear: Defense Policies of East-Central European Countries and Russian Challenge

Presented by Dr. Jacek Lubecki, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Georgia Southern University and a member of the Board of Directors of The Savannah Council on World Affairs.  Dr. Lubecki discusses the history of Eastern & Central Europe countries between two world wars and the Cold War, the region’s turn to liberalism and NATO in 1989 – 1999, NATO’s expansion and the War on Terror from 1999 to 2014, a resurgent Russia, President Trump and Nationalistic Populism.  He concludes with the question:  What is the future direction for Eastern & Central Europe in three scenarios.